CIVIL RIGHTS CONTIRBUTIONS

1956 GA State Flag Flag included the St. Andrews Cross symbol -Arguments to change this flag included African Americans felt offended Many felt GA was stuck in past Damaged tourism

1956 State Flag -In 2001 Gov. Roy Barnes was called upon to change this Flag -Supporters who wanted to keep the flag claimed that the flag was a memorial to confederate soldiers and their heritage -The new 2001 flag had few supporters. -In 2003 Sonny Perdue introduced a new state flag to appease the majority

SNCC (Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee) - The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) helped organize SNCC in Heavy participation in Atlanta and Albany with things such as Sit-ins, Freedom rides, and other non-violent protests. -Stokely Carmichael would lead SNCC in the ‘New Direction’ of the civil rights movement which included ‘Black Power’ and Violence.

Albany Movement Albany became a focus for the civil rights movement…the Albany Movement was led by Dr. William Anderson. Members of SNCC and NAACP tested the Brown v. BOE by sitting in an all white waiting room at a bus station. -Among the protestors “freedom riders” came to Albany to support the movement -Albany would eventually see a mass desegregation of an entire community (voting rights, waiting rooms, etc)

Sibley Commission -The purpose of the commission was to collect public opinion on the integration of schools -When asked, most Georgians, opposed integration -The Commission recommended that school systems could choose whether to be integrated or close their schools. -To avoid the issue, many communities opened Private Schools

March On Washington -Phillip Randolph and Dr. MLK were the head organizers of the March. Of many, the most famous speech of the day was “I have a Dream” delivered by MLK. -About 250,000 people participated in the March. -The March was credited with influencing the passage of Civil Rights Legislation.

Civil Rights Act The Civil Rights act of 1964 made it illegal to segregate public facilities such as schools, dining halls, etc. (did not apply to churches) -Federal Government would refuse funding to any School System who didn’t abide by the law.

Voting Rights Act A 50 mile march to Alabama’s state capital influenced congress to pass the Act. The Act outlawed discriminatory voting practices including literacy tests as a requirement to voting. -About 1 Million African Americans were added as registered voters

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr -Dr. King lead a non-violent approach to the civil rights movement -These ideas were modeled after such figures as Ghandi and Thoreau -King’s success with heading the Montgomery Bus Boycott thrust him into the spotlight King came to ATL to head the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

Andrew Young - Although not born in GA, young did many things for the city of Atlanta as well as the civil rights movement. -His political career included becoming the first African American since reconstruction to be elected to the House of Reps from GA. -Along with the SCLC, Young helped establish “citizenship schools” that taught non-violent organizing strategies to potential leaders.

Charlayne Hunter & Hamilton Holmes -UGA was founded in 1785 but not integrated until 1961 Hunter and Holmes were the first African Americans to attend UGA -GA’s Governor Vandiver instructed the University to integrate as well as the State to repeal other segregation laws, this resulted in a smoother integration process for GA.